Man&#39;s undergarment



Dec. 13, 1949 F. CHATFIELD um's UNDERGARMENT 2 She'ets-Sheet 1 Filed Dec. 19, 1946 AVVENTOR FEANKL IN CHATF/EL 0 f] W AT-rozlysvs Dec. 13, 1949 F. CHATFIELD MANS UNDERGARMENT 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 AVVENTOR FEAN/(L'INCl/ATHELD Filed Dec.

Patented Dec. 13, 1949 I 2,491,250 MAN S UNDERGARMENT Franklin Chatfield, Minneapolis, Minn., assignor to Munsingwear, Inc.,' Minneapolis, Minn., a corporation of Delaware Application December 19, 1946, Serial No. 717,132

1 Claim. (Cl. 12s 1'59) This invention relates to new and useful improvements in mens undergarments, and more particularly to such garments of the loose fitting woven type. Garments constructed of woven nonelastic fabrics must, of necessity, be made loose fitting, except at the waist line, in order to provide for freedom of movement of the wearers body without binding or pulling. Such garments, therefore, cannot be made close fitting, because of the inability of the fabric to yield or stretch under body movements, which may cause pulling and bunching of the fabric in certain parts of the garment, and, as a result, the rise, or distance from the crotch to the waist line of such garments must be made sufficiently great to provide adequate freedom in the crotch to prevent the garment from thus pulling or binding in the crotch under various body movements, which may be-. come extremely uncomfortable to the wearer.

Because such garments do not provide sufficient coverage for the scrotum to prevent flesh to flesh contact of adjacent parts of the body, such loose fitting garments, therefore, are not completely satisfactory for certain types of individuals, particularly individuals who frequently indulge in sports or are otherwise physically active whereby they may perspire more or lessfreely in the re-' gion of the crotch.

The present invention relates to an improved non-elastic garment of the loose fitting woven type which is so fashioned and constructed as to provide complete coverage and protection, without binding or pulling, to those parts of the wearers body covered thereby.

One of the outstanding features of the present invention is to provide a woven garment of the type commonly known to the trade as shorts,

which is designed to provide adequate coverage for the crotch and posterior regions of the body. The unique design of the garment is such that it completely surrounds all parts of the body within the length of the garment, including the scrotum, thereby preventing flesh to flesh contact of any of those parts of the body covered by the garment, thereby eliminating chafing, and at the same time it allows the scrotum to remain in its natural position, completely surrounded by fabric from groin to groin. The unique crotch construction also provides a gentle support to the scrotum, should the scrotum tend to relax or sag as a result of fatigue, due to excessive physical action.

Another feature of the invention resides in the embodiment in the crotch of the garment of a suitable pouch-like member having side seams 2 securing it to the leg portions of the garment, and said seams fitting closely into the groins of the wearer and preferably extending line at the front at the fork of the garment, and the pouch-like member being adapted to receive and support the scrotum in its natural position, and without lifting or crowding it rearwardly, when sitting, as when driving an automobile. This is a distinct and important feature of the present garment, in'that it greatly adds to the comfort of the wearer because the fabric constituting the crotch portion of the garment provides complete coverage for the scrotum, and is so embodied in the garment that it cannot bunch up or otherwise displace the normal position of the scrotum and cause discomfort to the wearer. Also because of the comfortable fit of the present garment in the crotch, thegarment may give to the wearer a feeling of being well-dressed and of security, which, in addition to the other features enumerated, are highly desirable attributes in a garment of this general type.

Another feature resides in the construction of the crotch portion of the garment as related tothe elastic waist band, whereby the pouch-like crotch piece is always retained in proper position upon the wearers body, and whereby one of the side or groin-seams of the pouch-like member may ride the center crotch seam of the wearers usual trousers, thereby eliminating the necessity of any special adjustments in the front of the garment to keep the pouch in correct position upon the wearers body.

Other features of the invention reside in the novel construction of the garment which, in its preferred form, embodies a plurality of blanks of non-elastic fabric, suitably stitched together to provide the composite body of the garment; and in the novel shape of the various blanks constitutingthe garment, whereby they may be readily stitched together on conventional sewing ma-.

chines in a minimum of time, and whereby the garment may be manufactured at extremely low cost, a desirable feature in articles of this general class.

Otherobjects of the invention will appear from" the following description and the accompanying drawings and will be pointed out in the annexed claim.

'In the accompanying drawings there has been disclosed a structure designed to carry out the variousobjects of the invention, but it is to'be understood that the invention is not confined to the exact features shown, as various changes may from the waist-- of the garment to the waistline 3 be made within the scope of the claim which follows.

In the drawings:

Figure l is a front view of the improved garment showing the construction of the crotch and front portions of the garment;

Figure 2 is a rear View of the garment;

Figure 3 is a vertical sectional view substantially on the line of Figure:

Figure 4' is a view in perspective, showing the garment positioned upon a wearers body;

Figure 5 is a front view of the garment, partially broken away, and showing it positioned on a wearers body within his usual trousers,.thereby to illustrate the fit of the garment'at the-crotcm;

Figure 6 is a view showing the blanks constituting the front of the garment; and

Figure 7 is a view showing-the blankswhich constitute the rear and crotch portions. of the garment.

The novel garment herein disclosed is shown comprising loose-fitting leg portions 2 and 3, the front portions of which are composed of opposed" blanks 4 and 5, as shown in Figure 6, and blanks 5 and"? which overlie the abdominal region of the wearer and have their side edges 8' stitched to the adjacent side edges 9"of'th'e blanks 4 and 5 by seams 9.

The outwardly directededges llof the front leg blanks4' and 5* are stitched t'o'the correspondingside edges 2l2' of the" rear leg blanks l3 and M by suitable'searns f5, as will beundersto'od by'reference to Figures 4, 6' and 7.

A nimportant feature of the present invention resides in the unique construction of. the crotch portion of the garment. As best shown in Figures 4 tic-'7, inclusive, the crotch of the garment is. formed from a single piece of fabric l6; shown inFigureY. The intermediate portion IT of the bTan'k l6 constitutes the seat of the garment, and? hasits side edges l8 suitably stitched to the concave edges 2| and 22 of the rear leg blanks. l3 and F4, bythe seams I'll, which, it will be noted by reference to Figures 1 andZZ extend from the waistlihe-at'thefront of the garment to the waistline at the rear of the garment.

The-front or lower portion of the crotch blank Pi, shown inF'igure' 7,. is provided with outwardly flared wings 23 and 2'4 which have their corresponding edges 25 stitched together by a seam 26;, as best shown in. Figures 1. and. 4, whereby a pouchkc member 21] is provided at the lower frontv central portion of the garment when the garment is completed, as shown in Figure 4. The. relatively shorter edges 21 of' the rear leg blanks f3 and I4 are stitched to the corresponding. edges 33" of the front leg blanks a and 5; respectively, by seams 40,. shown in Figures 1, 3 and 4. The side edges I3 and 23 of the crotch blank iii are secured to the concave edges 2i and 22 of the rear leg blanks i3 and le, respectively, by the seams Iii, and the edges is of the. crotch blank are: stitched to the edge portions l9. of the front leg blanks by the samev seams lil,,when..the crotch blank ['6 is subsequently stitched to the. leg. portions, subsequent to the formation of the pouch member 23. The terminal edges 29 of the win-gs 23' and 24 off the crotch blank. are stitched. to the lower edges of the front. blanks or panelsi'; and l by'sui'table seams 32, as shown in Figures 1 and-.4.

When. the blanks have. been. stitched together, as above described, a suitable. elastic. band. 33 is.

secured to: the upper edges thereof, whereupon,

the body of the garment is completed. The lower edges of the leg openings may be finished in the usual manner by inwardly folding the marginal edges of the fabric upon itself and stitching it in such position to provide finished edges.

The above described construction has proven very practical and economical, and by extending the seams I0 from the waistband at the front of the garment and around through the groins to the waistbandat the rear of the garment, the seams I0 fit into the groi'ns. at opposite sides of the scrotum, as indicated by the dotted line i-nFigure 3, and whereby the scrotum is not likely to directly contact the wearers legs, as shown in Figure: 5.. It will also be noted by reference to Figure 3,, that the pouch-like member 25] drops downwardly just forwardly of the leg seams 40,

thereby providinggreater room and freedom of action with no drag or displacement of the scrotum, and also whereby the wearer may freely squat or. stoop without in any way restricting or compressing the scrotum. It will also be noted by reference. to Figure 4, that. there is. nodisplacement of the scrotum. when the wearer is in an upright position.

The front panels E. and. I! have. their edges 34 and 35, respectively disposed in overlapping relationr asishown in Figures 1,. 4. and 5, and are se cured in such. positions by stitching The stitching. 36' extends. downwardly. from the waistband substantially one-half the length of the front. panels 5. and 7,. whereby a vertical fly opening 3! may be conveniently. and inexpensively provided. asv will: be understood.

By cutting. the. blanks,- as. shown in Figures 6 and T and stitching them together as above described, three separate unitsv are provided; the

two leg, units, each composed of. one front one rear leg blank, and the. crotch unit, composed of thecrotchblank l a and the irontpanel blanks 6 and; IL These units-are then. stitched together by thetwo. seams it, thereby to completely asscmhle all partsv of. "thegarment with the. exception of". the waist band 33, which is subsequently secured thereto as hereinbefore described.

Iirthe garment as. herein constructed, the front portion. 38 of. the waistband may of non-elasticfabric, or in other words, of the same wovenfabr-tic. from which the body of the garment is made. The balance of the waist band, however, may be madeof a suitable elastic mate If desired the elastic band may extend around the entiregirthof the garment.

The. novel garment herein disclosed. has been found to provide the utmost in comfort in that it' may be worn by individuals who are physically active without danger of binding, twi g, pulling-,.or. pinching Theconstruction of e crotch. portionv of thev garment and its rela an to the waist bandis such that the garment is r in. proper positionupon the body ahand inv such a manner that one of the groin or sideseams of the crotch piece may ride t e co 1" crotch seam of the-trousers, as clearly at 35 in' Figure 5; In this figure, it 1 noted that the scrotum: is complete}, enclosed within theapouch-like' member of the garmerit sothat it cannot directly contact the legs of the wearer, even though. th wearer may actively engaged in various forms of sport.

A dominant feature of this novel garment is that it allows the scrotum to drop or ass no its natural position at all times, and the garment acts as a. supporter only when the. scrotum. is caused to relax to an unnatural position. The scrotum is at. no time lifted or supported. in an and unnatural position. The pouch-like member 20 completely covers or encloses the scrotum whereby it cannot directly contact the legs, which is a highly desirable feature in extremely warm weather or at periods of excessive perspiring, because it eliminates chafing with its resultant discomfort.

It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that I have accomplished at least the principal objects of my invention, and it will also be apparent to those skilled in the art that the embodiments herein described may be variously changed and modified without departing from the spirit of the invention, and that the invention is capa ble of uses and has advantages not herein specifically described; hence it will be appreciated that the herein disclosed embodiments are illustrative only, and that my invention is not limited thereto.

I claim as my invention:

A garment comprising loose fitting body and leg portions constructed of a plurality of blanks of a suitable woven fabric, said body portion having an elastic waist band for supporting the garment in substantially a fixed position upon a Wearers body, a piece of inelastic fabric constituting the crotch of the garment and having its opposed rearwardly extending side edges flaring outwardly and upwardly whereby the intermediate portion of said crotch piece may form the seat of the garment, the forward end portion of said piece of fabric being fashioned to provide a pouch-like member adapted to receive and support the scrotum, overlapping front panels having their lower edges secured to the forward end of the crotch piece and their upper edges to the waist band, and seams securing the opposed side edges of the crotch piece and its seat portion to the leg portions of the garment and the opposed side edges of the front panels to the leg portions at the front of the garment.

FRANKLIN CHATFIELD.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,254,463 Arrington, Jr Jan. 22, 1918 2,059,820 Spain Nov. 3, 1936 2,062,161 Chatfield Nov. 24, 1936 2,166,010 Maida July 11, 1939 2,310,839 Chatfield et a1. Feb. 9, 1943 2,313,992 Fredericksen Mar. 16, 1943 2,328,953 Chatfield et a1 Sept. '7, 1943 

